Sulfated alcohol detergents from reaction product of primary monohydric alcohols with ethylene



Patented Oct. 13, 1953 SULFATED ALCOHOL DETERGENTS FROM REACTION PRODUCT OF PRIMARY MONO- HYDRIC ALCOHOLS WITH ETHYLENE Fred W. Banes, Westfield, William P. FitzGerald, Elizabeth, and Joseph F. Nelson, Rahway, N. J., assignors to Standard Oil Development Company, a. corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application March 25, 1950, Serial No. 152,012

8 Claims. (Cl. 260-459) This application is a continuation-in-part of This invention is concerned with the production of detergents comprising alkyl sulfates in which the alkyl group contains 10 to 18 carbon atoms, preferably 12 to 16 carbon atoms, by reacting a primary aliphatic alcohol of lower molecular weight, e. g., methanol, ethanol, etc, with ethylene in the presence of a peroxide activator to produce a mixture comprising alkyl alcohols of increased molecular weight and sulfating the reaction mixture to convert the alkanols to sulfated products possessing detergent activity.

In the above-mentioned copending application there is described a process for reacting olefins, such as ethylene, with lower molecular weight primary or secondary aliphatic and cycloaliphatic alcohols at comparatively low pressure in the presence of a peroxide activator to produce a product comprising alcohols of increased molecular weight not above 500.

It has now been found that, by reacting ethylene with low molecular weight primary aliphatic alcohols at regulated reaction conditions in the presence of a peroxide activator, a mixture is obtained comprising alcohols having 10 to 18 carbon atoms per molecule which can be sulfated to produce excellent detergents of the alkyl sulfate type. The detergents are prepared from a narrow molecular weight alcohol product or from a mixture of alcohols whose molecular weight fall within the broad range of 10 to 18 carbon atoms. The most practical method of obtaining a product suitable for sulfation is to top the reaction product to a temperature of about 200 C. and re-- In order to produce alcohol products that are of molecular weight suitable for the synthesis of detergents the reaction between ethylene and the primary alcohol is carried out under controlled reaction conditions. These conditions are:

Pressure 250-1500 p. 's. 1. (16400 atmospheres). Temperature 70225 C.

Activator 0.005 to 0.25 g. peroxide/ml. alcohol. Alcohol Sufiicient alcohol reactant to give a final reaction mixture of 10-50% conceiitration of alcohol product.

225 C. with materials such as cumene hydroperoxide and di-t-butyl peroxide. Generally, a total of 0.005 to 0.3 part of activator is employed per part of olefin charged to the reactor. The amount of activator employed depends on several factors among which are molecular weight of product desired and method of activator addition to the reaction. When operating a batch process it is preferred that the activator be added in increments to the reactor since in this manner the reaction proceeds more uniformly and better reaction rates and more uniform products are obtained. Suitable peroxides are di-t-butyl peroxide, t-butyl hydroperoxide, benzoyl peroxide, cumene hydroperoxide, hydrogen peroxide. tbutyl perbenzoate, di-t-butyl perphthalate or peradipate, acetyl peroxide, urea peroxide, or mixtures of two or more of the same.

Products, or fractions thereof, prepared by the above mentioned process are sulfated by slowly adding an ether solution of the sulfating agent chlorosulfonic acid) to an ether solution of the hydroxylated reactant. About a 10% molar excess of the acid is used and during the addition andfor about minutes thereafter the reaction mixture is maintained at l0-15 C. At the end of this time the reaction product is poured over cracked ice and the resulting solution is then neutralized with sodium hydroxide to a pH of 7. The neutralized solution is next extracted with petroleum ether to remove any unsulfated products, and this extract is washed with a -50 isopropanol-water solution which is added to the extracted aqueous solution. This solution is then diluted with 3 volumes of isopropyl alcohol and then desalted withanhydrous sodium carbonate. This desalting process is repeated twice in order to insure complete removal of inorganic salts. After determining the amountof sulfated prodnot in the alcohol by gravimetric methods, suificient sodium sulfate is added to the solution to give a blend of solids containing sodium sulfate. This product'is then recovered by evaporation of the alcohol.

The following examples are given as typical of the effectiveness of the present process.

Example 1 A solution containing 15 ml. of di-t-butyl peroxide in 900 ml. of ethyl alcohol was charged to a 3-liter autoclave. The system was flushed with ethylene vapors and the temperature raised to -150 C. Ethylene was admitted to the reactor until a pressure of 1000 p. s. i. had been attained and was fed to the reactor at this pressure over a -hour period. At the end of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd hours, m1. of activator dissolved in 50 ml. of ethanol were added to the reactor. At the end of 5 hours the reaction mixture was cooled to 25 C. and unreacted ethylene was vented from the system. The product was recovered by distilling oif unreacted ethyl alcohol. This product weighed 530.9 grams and represented an 8'7 mole percent yield on the ethylene fed to the reactor. Distillation of the product gave '73 grams (15%) boiling in the range of 103 C. to 141 C. at 4.0 mm. Hg. This boiling range corresponds to that of C12 to C13 alcohol.

The fraction described above was treated with chlorosulfonic acid followed by washing and removal of unsulfated product. The isolated, purified sulfate represented a yield of 91% on the fraction being sulfated. A detergent was prepared by adding sodium sulfate to the solution of the sulfonated product so as to give a dry product containing 40% alkyl sulfate and 60% sodium sulfate. This product (detergent A) was evaluated as a detergent (see Table I).

Example 2 A product was prepared using the conditions cited in Example 1 except in that a total of 1800 m1. of ethyl alcohol was added to the reactor. The product was fractionated to give the follow- Tho above cuts cover a boiling range of 200 C. to 385 C. at atmosphcric pressure.

A sample of cut 3 was sulfated with ehlorosulfonic acid and purified to give a 85% yield of product. Sodium sulfate was added to an alcohol-water solution of the alkyl sulfate in such a way as to give a dry product containing 60 parts sodium sulfate and 40 parts alkyl sulfate (detergent B) Equal parts (by weight) of cuts 1 to 5 inclusive were blended and sulfated with chlorosulfonic acid to give a 75% yield of product. A detergent (detergent C) was prepared from this product in the same manner as described in the preceding paragraph.

Example 3 Ethylene was reacted in the same equipment and under the same conditions as described in Example 1 except that methanol rather than ethanol was used as the reactant. A fraction of the product boiling in the range of 122 C. at 5 mm. to 152.5 C. at 4.5 mm. (about 250-290 C. at 760 mm. and the approximate boiling range of Ciz-alcohols) was again sulfated with chlorosulfonic acid. The resulting sulfate was purified and diluted with sodium sulfate as described in previous examples. This detergent mixture is referred to as detergent D.

Example 4 The four detergents described above are evaluated for detergent activity. The detergents were compared with a commercially available product employed as a control and with the following laboratory products: C13 Oxo alcohol sulfate derived from the oxonation of C12 polypropylene followed by sulfation, 2-butyl-1-octanol sulfate, and a C16 0x0 alcohol sulfate derived from the oxonation of a C15 polypropylene followed by sulfation. The commercial product employed as a control comprises as the active ingredient the neutral sulfates of Lorol alcohol which according to the best information has the average molecular weight of a C12 aliphatic alcohol. Comparative data on these products are presented in Table I. The tests employed involved measurements of soil removal, suds formation and suds stability in distilled water, in water of 240 p. p. m. hardness and in water of 720 p. p. m. hardness.

It is readily apparent from the inspection of these data that the detergent properties of the experimental production, detergents A, B, C and D are comparable to those of the commercial product in some tests but are definitely superior to the commercial product in many other tests, that is, particularly in the lower concentrations and in hard water.

Although the data presented in the above examples deal with products prepared from ethyl and methyl alcohols, similar products are also prepared from the higher primary alcohols such as propyl and butyl alcohols. However, ethyl and methyl alcohols are preferred due to their higher reaction rate with ethylene.

Table I LAUNDER-OMETER EVALUATION OF DETERGENTS [All materials tested contained 40% active ingredients] Soil removal 1 Suds formation 2 Suds stability 3 Concentration (percent)- 0. 1 0. 15 0.2 0. 3 0. 4 0. 5 0. l 0. 15 0. 2 0. 3 0. 4 0. 5 0. 1 0. 15 0. 2 0.3 0. 4 O. 5

Distilled water: a

Lorol sulfate (control) 20 30 50 80 100 100 F F F F F F F F F F F F 01a oxo alcohol sulfate 20 30 50 40 90 0 0 0 10 200 F 0 0 0 0 50 200 Detergent A 2O 90 90 10 20 100 F F F 5 10 50 F F F Detergent B 50 100 100 110 110 130 10 100 F F F F 5 80 200 F F F Detergent C 50 60 70 70 80 20 30 30 140 F F 20 30 30 140 200 F Detergent D 30 35 65 80 80 5 20 140 F F F 0 10 F F F 2-butyl-l-octanol sulfate. 0 0 r 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 Cw oxo alcohol sulfate 10 20 30 50 5O 60 0 10 140 F F F 0 5 80 200 F F 240 p. p. in. hard water:

Lorol sulfate (control). 50 70 80 100 100 100 F F F F F F F F F F F F 013 0x0 alcohol sulfate 10 10 1O 20 80 0 0 20 F F F 0 0 5 140 200 200 Detergent A 30 60 100 120 110 20 100 F F F F 10 100 240 F F F Detergent B 90 90 100 120 120 120 10 100 F F F F 10 100 F F F F Detergent C 50 50 70 80 100 110 20 100 F F F F 20 100 F F F F Detergent D 50 85 90 100 80 75 F F F F F 140 F F F F F 2-butyl-l-octanol sulfate 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 Cu oxo alcohol sulfate L Q Q 0 10 0 0 40 F F F F F 10 40 60 80 140 200 Table I-Contlnued LAUNDER-OMETER EVALUATION "OF "DTER'GENT'S [All materials tested contained 40% active lngr'edie'ntsl] Soil removal 1 Suds formation Suds stability I Concentration (percent) 0.1 F015 0.2 0.3 0.4 t 0.5 0.1 0. 15 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5

720 p. p. In hard water: I

Lorol sulfate (control) 50 70 i 80 i 90- 100 1 l0 F F F F F F F F F F F F 013 x0 alcohol sulfate 0 0 0 '80 -90 100 0 10 F F F F 0 0 60 220 F F Detergent A 5O 8O 90 95 100 110 10 30 100 F F F 5 20' 80 'F F T Detergent B 0 7O 100 110 1 120 lflO 10 100 F F F F 0 l0 50 F F F etergent O. 20 60 5o 70 90 9o 10 20 40 F F F 1o 20 40 F F F Detergent D 50 70 .70 85 100 I00 30 F F F F i F 30 200 F F F F 2-butyl-l-octanol sulfate 0 0 i 0 O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 50-, 0 0 O 0 0 0 Om 0x0 alcohol sulfate 0 0 0 0 0 0 O 20 100 F F F 0 i 5 10 20 100 120 1 Soil removal relative'toLorolsulfate (control) at"0.5% 111240 parts per million hard water as 100 (P. 6: G. cloth).

4 From oxonation of Ole-polypropylene. 5 From oxonation of Cpolypropylene.

Additional data were obtained on detergents prepared from polyethylene-ethanol and polyethylene-methanol products. In all cases 60/40 blends of sodium sulfate and sulfated products were used in the Launder-Ometer tests. All tests were run with U. S. testing cotton soil cloth indlstilled, 120 p. p m. hard water and 366 p. p. m. hard water. The control for these products was the detergent prepared from the neutral sulfates of Lorol B alcohol (duPont commercial product). The Lorol B alcohol was sulfated with ClSOsI-I according to the regular procedure and an 85% yield of product was recovered. This alcohol (Lorol B) is a blend of C10 to C13 alcohols having an average composition of a C13 alcohol. Accord ing to analysis 90% of the alcohol mixture boils in the range of 270 to 347 C.

Example 5 The Lorol B alcohol detergent was compared to detergents which were obtained by sulfating a polyethylene-ethanol product fraction boiling in the range of 240 to 300 C. (137 C. at 16 mm. to 154 C. at 3.2 mm.) This fraction has an average of 13 carbon atoms per mole.

This particular fraction was obtained by distillation of a number of products made under widely varying operating conditions in a 3-liter autoclave. In all cases 1800 ml. of either 95% or absolute ethanol was charged to the reactor. A total of 60 ml. of di-t-butyl peroxide was also charged to the reactor, either initially or as equal volume increments during the course of a particular run. Runs were made at pressures of 250 to 1500 and at temperatures of 125 to 165 C. and at reaction times of 1 to 5 hours.

The fraction boiling in the range of 240 to 300 C. was shown by infra-red adsorption to be composed of predominantly secondary alcohols. Portions of this fraction were sulfated with different sulfating agents and detergents E, F and G were prepared from the sulfated products.

One portion was sulfated with chlorosulfonic acid in the same manner as has already been described. A yield of 85% of theoretical was recovered and detergent E was made up as a blend of 40% sulfated product and 60% sodium sulfate.

The second portion of the polyethyleneethanol product was sulfated with oleum (20- 30% S02 in concentrated H2804) using the same synthesis technique and conditions previously described. A yield of 83% was realized and the blend of sodium sulfate and this sulfated product is designated as detergent F.

A third portion of the fraction was sulfated with concentrated H2SO4 at 20 to C. but

2 F designates that the total free spaceof container (280 00.) is filled with'suds otherfigures represent actual volume of suds ccs. 3 Volume of suds (F =250'cc.) after 5 minutes rest following agitation of detergent'solution.

otherwise under the same conditions as described earlier. The yield of product represented 50% of the theoretical yield. The detergent from this sulfate has been designated as detergent G.

Evaluation data relating to detergents E, F, and G and the'Lorol B detergent are summarized in Table II. It will be noted that the ClSOsH and oleum sulfated products give detergents which are consistenly better than the Lorol B detergent "when used in low concentrations and/or in hard water. On the other hand the concentrated H2304 product gives detergents which are less effective and are more'nearly comparable with that obtained from the Lorol B sulfate. The sudsing properties (formation and stability) of the polyethylene products are equal to or superior to the corresponding properties of the Lorol B detergent.

Example 6 Reaction pressure 500-to 900p. s. i. g. Reaction temperature to C. Alcohol feed rate 41bs./hr.

D'IBP conc. in alcohol 1 to 3 wt. percent. Reactor hold up 27 to 50 min. Liquid feed temperature 25 to 187 C. Ethylene purity 62 to 94 percent.

Volume percent product in reactor effluent (B. Pa. 85 C.) 2 to 12 percent.

1 DTBP-Di-t-butyl peroxide.

The fraction boiling at 285 C. was sulfated with oleum in a manner previously described to give a 70% yield of sulfated product. A blend of 40 parts of this product and 60 parts of Nazsol has been designated as detergent H. It will be observed that this detergent is superior to the Lorol B detergent in hard water. This is rather surprising since it is well known that the neu tral sulfates of pure alcohols of a single given molecular weight are inferior to products representing a blend of molecular weights as is the case with the neutral sulfates of Lorol B alcohols.

Comparative data on the detergents prepared in Examples 5 and 6 with Lorol B sulfate are given in the following Table II.

LAUNDE R-OME'IER EVALUATION OF DETERGENTS [All materials tested contained 40% active ingredients] Soil removal 1 Suds formation 3 Suds stability 5 Concentrations (percent) 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.35 0.5 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.35 0.5 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.35 0.5

Distilled water:

Lorol B alcohol sulfates 0 71 88 0 20 F F F 0 0 20 F F DetergcntE 36 51 58 63 69 F F F F F 100 F F F F Detergent F 0 23 43 51 61 100 F F F F 250 F F F Detergent G.-. 0 10 15 43 43 F F F F 0 200 F F F DetergentH 0 10 10 41 30 150 150 F F 0 so 50 F F 120 p. p. in. hard water:

LorolBalcohol sulfates 0 49 49 96 100 F F F F F 75 75 F F F Detergent E- 91 87 91 72 68 F F F F F F F F F F Detergent F 63 67 70 7o F F F F F 200 F F F F Detergent G 0 24 43 48 53 10 F F F F 5 F F F F Detergent H... 17 37 5s 4e 46 F F F F F 150 250 F F F 350 p. p. in. hard waterz LorolB alcohol sulfates 25 53 62 62 F F F F F 10 F F F F Detergent E es 116 112 108 F F F F F F F F F F Detergent F 74 124 105 105 94 30 250 F F F 10 200 F F F Detergent G. 43 43 48 58 63 10 50 F F F 5 20 F F DetergentH 63 67 83 88 75 F F F F 10 200 F F F 1 U. S. testing cotton soil cloth.

2 Vol. of suds in test vessel after 5 min. agitation in Launder-Ometer; max. suds volume 280 cc.

1 Vol. of suds after 5 min. agitation and standing at rest for 5 min; F represents 280 cc.

What is claimed is: the methanol-ethylene reaction is carried out at 1. A process for producing an alkyl sulfate do 25 a temperature of -185 C. and a pressure of tergent which comprises reacting monohydric approximately 500 to 1000 pounds, and in which alcohol containing from 10 to 18 carbon atoms the sulfating agent is oleum. per molecule with a sulfating agent and recover- 6. The process according to claim 1 in which. ing the alkyl sulfate detergent product from the the sulfating agent is chlorosulfonic acid. sulfation reaction mixture, said monohydric al- 30 7. The process according to claim 1 in which cohol having been prepared by a process comthe sulfating agent is oleum. prising reacting a primary monohydric alcohol 8. The process according to claim 1 in which of l to 4 carbon atoms with ethylene in the presthe peroxide activator is ditertiary butyl perence of a peroxide activator at a temperature in oxide. the range of KP-225 C., a pressure in the range 35 FRED W. BANES. of 250-1500 p. s. i. g. and for a period of from 1 WILLIAM P. FITZGERALD. to 5 hours. JOSEPH F. NELSON.

2. The process of claim 1 in which the primary monohydric alcohol of 1 to 4 carbon atoms is References Cited in the me of this patent ethanol. 40 UNITED STATES PATENTS 3. The process according to claim 2 in which Number Name Date the ethanol-ethylene reaction is carried out at a 1 921,381 Bauer et aL Aug. 8 1933 temperature of 145150 C. and a pressure of 204,323 smith June 1940 approximately 1000 pounds, and in which the sul- 2,402,137 Hanford et a1 June 1946 fating agent is chlorosulfonic acid. 45 2,517,732 stiteler Aug 1950' 4. The process as in claim 1 in which the primary monohydric alcohol of 1 to 4 carbon atoms OTHER REFERENCES is methanol. Ser. No. 83,244, Reibnitz (A. P. C.), published 5. The process according to claim 4 in which June 22, 1943. 

1. A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING AN ALKYL SULFATE DETERGENT WHICH COMPRISES REACTING MONOHYDRIC ALCOHOL CONTAINING FROM 10 TO 18 CARBON ATOMS PER MOLECULE WITH A SULFATING AGENT AND RECOVERING THE ALKYL SULFATE DETERGENT PRODUCT FROM THE SULFATION REACTION MIXTURE, SAID MONOHYDRIC ALCOHOL HAVING BEEN PREPARED BY A PROCESS COMPRISING REACTING A PRIMARY MONOPHYDRIC ALCOHOL OF 1 TO 4 CARBON ATOMS WITH ETHYLENE IN THE PRESENCE OF A PEROXIDE ACTAIVATAOR AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF 70*-225* C., A PRESSURE IN THE RANGE FO 250-1500 P.S.I.G. AND FOR A PERIOD OF FROM 1 T 5 HOURS. 